Finance Deputy Minister Ashor Sarupen says it is disappointing that the global community is struggling to advance the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Addressing the 91st session of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) policy commission in Cape Town on Tuesday, the Deputy Minister said the 2024 Annual SDG report card released in June this year shows that nearly half the 17 targets are showing minimal or moderate progress, while over one-third of the targets are stalled or receding, since they were adopted by UN Member States back in 2015.
“This does not bode well for developing countries, and its relevance cannot be lost to the WCO, since three quarters of your 186 members are developing countries.
“Trade facilitation, which is the core of Customs administrations, is not executed for its sake only but to ensure economic growth, with concomitant benefits of eradication of hunger and poverty, investment in education, job creation and ushering in life of dignity. All of this resonates with the SDGs,” the Deputy Minister said.
The WCO, established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC), is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
Today, the WCO represents 186 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.
Sarupen said no single country, jurisdiction or organisation can move countries closer to the achievement of the SDGs if it acts alone.
“It is only through global solidarity and universal commitment that these goals can be met. It is against this backdrop that all the commitments that have been made must be urgently met.
“Customs is an integral part in acting together to change for the better the lives of all global citizens. South Africa has learnt that the only way to address transnational crimes, be it cross border financial, economic or customs crimes, we need to be deliberate in adopting whole-of-government cooperative solutions.
“To add to this, we have learnt that the fight against poverty and inequality demands nothing less than a whole-of-society approach. Similarly, the WCO cannot and should not go it alone in its work. It should expand its cooperative networks and should leverage offerings of assistance and support available to enable it to better serve its members and achieve its mandate,” the Deputy Minister said.
He said is important that the WCO does not become complacent or move on too quickly to new trendy priorities without deep analyses of and reflection on its work to date, and the effectiveness therefor, or not.
“While I commend you for the excellent work you have done thus far, it would be amiss of me not to challenge you. believe that more should be done, and gaps still exist that needs to be addressed,” the Deputy Minister said. - SAnews.gov.za
